It's never too late for hope
by smileylaugh
Summary: Harry Potter lost everything during the battle at Hogwarts. He decides to go back in time to kill Voldemort but instead he found Tom Riddle, a scared little boy. Now he tries to change the past in changing Tom. But will he be able to change Tom Riddles fate?


**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter. Sadly :(**

 **A/N: This story is inspired by Altered Destinies by DobbyElfLord. But don't worry it will go in a different direction.**

 **A/N: English is my second language and I would appreciate help with grammar and spelling mistakes. I gave my best. I hope you still like it.**

He gave everything. He tried to have courage to save everyone he loved but his everlasting struggle seem to have no effect on the outcome. His life had always been dedicated to killing Voldemort. He never had much of a choice. This thought layed heavy on Harry Potters shoulder that night. Why did he have to be the chosen one? Why couldn't he just live happy ever after?

Two hours ago he won while loosing everything. He might have destroyed the horcruxes but was it worth loosing the reason he kept fighting? The blood was still running down his face from the fight against Voldemort. He won with heavy cuts all over his body. But his body wasn't what troubled him. He cried because of the death of Hermione Granger.

Hermione Granger, a young ambitious witch who would manage every difficult spell even through she was muggle born. She always stood at Harrys side. Without her he wouldn't be sitting here, mourning her. She died to save his life. The Death Eathers were about to kill Harry but Hermione jumped in front of Harry to block the spell. Instead of blocking it she gave her life for his. He saw her dying instantely. Her eyes, earlier filled with courage, were now blank and cold. It hurt. Seven years they went through everything together. She helped him destroy the last horcruxes after Ron was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange. They were hold prisoner and Dobby came to save him but it was too late. Bellatrix had already thrown the killing curse at Ron. He remembered the days crying but they kept going. Ron would have wanted them to. So they kept going but it still wasn't enough. After the battle of Hogwarts, after Hermione gave her life for his, Harry had walked through the great hall looking into the sad faces of everyone. But what gave him the rest of hope was Ginny bitten by a werewolf and Neville and Luna cut into pieces. No nothing in the world could have prepared him of that sight. So there he was now sitting, crying. But deep under the sadness there was anger buried inside of him. Voldemort had destroyed everything. Harry might have killed him but he wished he had Voldemort suffer for all the pain he had caused Harry. What gave anybody the reason to be as evil and twisted as Voldemort used to be. Turned out he had a great deal to learn.

6 Month after the battle…

Harry never recovered from everthing that happened. He had rented a small apartment in the muggle world to get some time off. To recover. He spend days without end watching tv. He never had the privilege of watching tv while he lived at the Dursley but now the distraction was welcome. Once or twice a week he went down to the next supermarket to get some food.

Several rumours emerged in the village about that creep who started to live in that really expensive apartment but looking like a homeless person. One guy with golden hair and blue hair would tell everyone who listed that he knew from a friend at the police station that they are holding him responsible for several murders. And people started believing him. That young blonde had grown up in that village and everyone loved him. So everyone turned the other way whenever Harry walked out of his apartment. Harry noticed the whispers that followed him everywhere. But he didn't care. He was used to it all his life and he never really wanted to talk.

But today everthing changed. When he came home there was already somebody home. And it was the last person he would have suspected to come. Professor Slughorn. Harry was in fact so surprised he dropped all his groceries. Slughorn didn't really seem to care. "What are you doing here?" Harrys voice interrupted the powerful silence. Slughorn gestered at him to sit down and Harry sat down at the other end of the couch. Nobody seemed to want to start talking and so they stared at each other.

"So why are you here? And by the way how did you know where I was?"

At last the potions teacher started to explain his presence.

"You know I blame myself for everything that happened. I tried to deny it for as long as I can remember and you uncovered my secret. I guess it helped you in your mission to destroy Voldemort. But the price was to high and I want to make up for everything I have done. So I kept a close watch on you after the battle while struggling to find a way to change everything. And finally I did. That's why I came here tonight."

Harry was surprised that someone even checked where he has been. Everyone else just seemed to stop caring after he defeated Voldemort. But he couldn' t help being curious about what Slughorn was planning.

"So what are you planning? You can't revive all the people. I've tried to find a way but there is now. So what are you proposing?"

"Time-travel"

"That's not possible. Believe me I would have known."

"I thought so too until I went through Dumbledores old books. There is a spell to travel back in time. It is not an easy one but I think we could manage."

Harry couldn't believe what his ears where trying to tell him. He could go back and save Ron and Hermione along with Neville, Ginny, Luna and all the others. A feeling started to spread in his body. A feeling of warmth. Something he hadn't felt in a long time: Hope. Slughorn must have noticed the change in Harry because he started to explain his plan.

"To be able to cast the spell we need the caster to drink a special potion which I have already prepared. I will cast the spell and you will go back and change the past."

But even through Harry was happy he couldn't stop that bad feeling rising up his throat. It couldn't be that easy right? Just travel back. Why hadn't anyone done that before? There had to be a downside to the plan.

"This is dark magic isn't it?"

"Yes but Harry don't you think you might overlook that fact because of what we are trying to do."

"Dark magic requires a sacrifice. Tell me Slughorn what do we have to do!"

Harry got scared of the answer and he saw in Slughorns eyes that Slughorn knew that Harry wouldn't approve.

"Tell me!" an unpatient voice demanded.

"You have to go back 10 years before the spell will transport you back into our time."

"That's not everything, is it?"

"The caster will die."

Harry had expected it when he saw how reluctant Slughorn was about the answer.

"No!"

"Harry, listen to me! I will die but you will go back into the past. You could kill Voldemort as a child and be done with it. Everything would change and I wouldn't have died. But even if you fail I am old and tired. I can't take my guilt any more. Please let me do this. Because then the fish Lilly send me will live again."

Killing Voldemort while he was killing others seemed justified but killing an innocent child? No. Voldemort was never innocent and he would preserve thousands of lifes instead. He would do it.

"Ok, let's do it."


End file.
